Internal bypass valve for a heat exchanger
AssigneeCecebe Technologies Inc.
InventorsGordon M. Cameron, Charles G. Cooper, Gregory J. Bellamy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shell and tube heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a shell side fluid and a tube side fluid has a longitudinally extending shell, a longitudinally extending tube bundle and one or more baffles positioned within the shell for directing the shell side fluid to flow across the tube bundle. One or more valves is also provided within the shell of the heat exchanger. Each valve is operable between a first position and a second position and co-operates with a baffle for adjusting the flow of shell side fluid through the shell side of the exchanger. Each of the valves is controlled by an external actuator.
Claims25
A shell and tube heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a shell side fluid and a tube side fluid comprising:
- (a) a longitudinally extending shell;
- (b) a plurality of tubes extending longitudinally in said shell, said tubes being positioned to define a first and a second longitudinally extending window;
- (c) a plurality of baffle means positioned within said shell between the entry port for the shell side fluid and the exit port for the shell side fluid, said first and said second windows extending through said baffle means for directing the shell side fluid to flow across said tubes, the temperature of the shell side fluid where it exits from said heat exchanger being sufficiently uniform to define a stream effectively having a single temperature;
- (d) at least one valve means positioned within said first longitudinally extending window and operable between a first open position and a second closed position, each of said valve means co-operating with one of said baffle means for adjusting the flow of the shell side fluid in said shell in response to the temperature of the shell side fluid or the tube side fluid where said fluid exits from said heat exchanger;
- and,
- (e) actuator means coupled to said valve means for moving said valve means between said first and second positions such that, when said valve means is in said second closed position, said baffle means and said valve means define a continuous surface and the shell side fluid is deflected by said valve means and said baffle means to pass through said second window, and as said valve means is moved to said first open position, the amount of shell side fluid passing through said valve means, and accordingly through said first window in said baffle means, from the upstream side of said baffle means to the downstream side of said baffle means increases.
A method of operating a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a shell side fluid and a tube side fluid having:
- (a) a longitudinally extending shell, said shell having an entry port for the shell side fluid and an exit port for the shell side fluid;
- (b) a plurality of tubes extending longitudinally in said shell, said tubes being positioned to define a first and a second longitudinally extending window;
- (c) a plurality of baffle means positioned within said shell between said entry port for the shell side fluid and said exit port for the shell side fluid, said first and said second windows extending through said baffle means for directing the shell side fluid to flow across said tubes, the temperature of the shell side fluid where it exits from said heat exchanger being sufficiently uniform to define a stream effectively having a single temperature;
- (d) at least one valve means positioned within said first longitudinally extending window and operable between a first open position and a second closed position, each of said valve means co-operating with one of said baffle means for adjusting the flow of the shell side fluid in said shell in response to the temperature of the shell side fluid or the tube side fluid where said fluid exits from said heat exchanger;
- and,
- (e) actuator means coupled to said valve means for moving said valve means between said first and second positions comprising the steps of:
- (f) monitoring the temperature of the shell side fluid at a predetermined point;
- and,
- (g) using said actuator means to adjust the position of said valve means to adjust the amount of shell side fluid passing through at least one of said valve means from a position upstream of at least one of said baffle means to a position downstream of said at least one of said baffle means and the amount of shell side fluid flowing across said tubes to maintain the temperature of the shell side fluid at said predetermined point at a predetermined level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.